While anyone can be infected with the Toxoplasma gondii parasite, the primary victims who experience severe illness or life-threatening complications are individuals with weakened immune systems and infants infected during pregnancy.
A toxoplasmosis infection from earlier in life may become active again. People at risk include those living with HIV/AIDS, people receiving cancer treatment and people with a transplanted organ. In addition to serious eye disease, toxoplasmosis can cause severe lung or brain disease for a person with weakened immunity.
Symptoms: Most people infected with Toxoplasma gondii will have no symptoms, but some will have flu-like symptoms, swollen lymph nodes, or muscle aches that last a few days to several weeks.
Toxoplasmosis isn't completely curable because dormant parasites (cysts) can remain in the body, but treatments can effectively manage active infections in immunocompromised individuals, pregnant women, and those with severe symptoms, preventing severe illness. Healthy people often recover without treatment as their immune system controls the infection, though the cysts can persist for life, only reactivating if immunity weakens.
The Toxoplasma gondii protozoan parasite causes toxoplasmosis. Approximately 11 percent of the US population 6 years and older have had a Toxoplasma infection. In various places throughout the world, research shows that more than 60 percent of some populations have had Toxoplasma infection.
Owning a cat does not mean you will be infected with the parasite. It is unlikely that you would be exposed to the parasite by touching an infected cat because cats usually do not carry the parasite on their fur.
Recent studies have revealed that Toxoplasma alters both excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission in the central nervous system and that these changes lead to unbalanced synaptic activity and seizures.
Overview. Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by a single-celled parasite called Toxoplasma gondii. The parasite occurs worldwide and can last for long periods of time (up to a lifetime) in human bodies (and other animals).
A diagnosis of toxoplasmosis is based on blood tests. Laboratory tests can detect two types of antibodies. One antibody is an immune system agent that is present during a new and active infection with the parasite. The other antibody is present if you had an infection at any time in the past.
Key points. Most people with healthy immune systems recover from toxoplasmosis without treatment. Talk to your healthcare provider about treatment options if you are pregnant or immunocompromised (have a weakened immune system).
Signs and symptoms
Most people with healthy immune systems who get toxoplasmosis do not have symptoms. Those with symptoms may experience flu-like symptoms, swollen lymph nodes, muscle aches, and pains. Severe toxoplasmosis causes damage to the brain, eyes, or other organs.
There are three infectious stages of T. gondii: the tachyzoites (in groups or clones), the bradyzoites (in tissue cysts), and the sporozoites (in oocysts). These stages are linked in a complex life cycle (Fig.
If you have a weakened immune system, ask your doctor about having your blood tested for Toxoplasma. If your test is positive, your doctor can tell you if and when you need to take medicine to prevent the infection from reactivating.
Some cases of acute toxoplasmosis in adults are associated with psychiatric symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations. A review of 114 cases of acquired toxoplasmosis noted that “psychiatric disturbances were very frequent” in 24 of the case-patients (10).
Acute toxoplasmosis symptoms
Most people don't feel sick, but you might have flu-like symptoms, including: Fever. Fatigue. Muscle aches.
Recent changes include a shift from consumption of beef to pork and poultry and increased consumption of organic meat and “value added” products such as ready meals and burgers. These trends may have increased exposure to Toxoplasma gondii as pork and lamb carry a higher risk of infection than beef or poultry.
Severe toxoplasmosis results in damage to the eyes or the brain. Infants who became infected before birth may be born with serious mental or physical problems. A person with a weakened immune system can develop life-threatening toxoplasmosis. Severe symptoms vary depending on which part of the body is affected.
How is toxoplasmosis diagnosed? A blood test will show if you have toxoplasmosis. It can show if you have been recently infected, or if you have had it in the past.
A positive result can be confirmed quickly, so health care providers can immediately begin treatment.” This test leads to prevention of the severe consequences of Toxoplasma gondii infection and saves lives. The test is also inexpensive. It costs $4 to $5 per test.
Heat treatment like boiling water can inactivate T. gondii oocysts. Beef, lamb and veal roasts and steaks should be cooked to at least 63°C. Pork, ground meat and wild game should be cooked to 71°C before eating.
Infection with Toxoplasma gondii can occur in a number of ways. The most common is by eating undercooked meat or shellfish that have been contaminated with the parasite. Pork, lamb, venison, mussels, oysters and clams are the more frequent vectors.
As the cat feces dry, the oocysts may become aerosolized. They can thus be inhaled by a person changing cat litter or just walking in an area where cats have defecated. An outbreak of toxoplasmosis among patrons of a riding stable was thought to have occurred in this manner.
It has been reported that several herbal extracts were effective against T. gondii such as Eurycoma longifolia Jack [41, 43], Curcuma [5], Artemisia annua L. [27, 67], and Myristica fragrans Houtt [74].
Specifically, Toxoplasma infection was associated with lower IQ in men, whereas CMV was predominantly associated with worse performance by women when testing memory and reaction speeds.
Diagnosing neurocysticercosis typically involves MRI or CT brain scans and sometimes blood tests. Blood tests might not show positive results in mild infections.